The Push – An Astonishing, Captivating & Raw Story about Motherhood!

Posted On October 9, 2021

Hi Readers! A few weeks ago, I was on a reading binge when I read 3 books in 3 days. I think I have mentioned this enough & will probably keep mentioning it because what a feat! Anyway, this review is about Ashley Audrain’s ‘The Push.’ Before reading this, I did feel captivated by its blurb. What I was expecting was a thriller, but it was more of a psychological drama. But, I was on the edge of my seat throughout the time I was reading it. It did remind me of Colleen Hoover’s Verity, but very soon the story came of its own accord & shined all the way! Here we dive into the review now! It includes spoilers!

TRIGGER WARNING: Death, Post-Partum Depression, Mental Illness in Children, Child Abuse, Suicide.

~~WRITING STYLE~~

When it comes to debut novels, you are always in for a ride. You never know what to expect. Would you like the writing style or hate it so much that you wouldn’t want to continue? Would you give the book a 5 star or a 2 star? Would this author just possibly make a spot in your favourite authors? This is why I always love reading debut novels. And, I must say Ashley Audrain has surprised me in a good way. In The Push, she has brought the kind of writing style & narrative which will leave you hooked to the book until you finish it. I found the writing to be quite captivating, refreshing & to the brim with potential. There are two parallels, one is Bythe’s story in the now & the other is her grandmother Etta & mother Cecelia’s story. This story of mothers across generations is a powerful demonstration in the story.
Now, you know me. Even the best of the best books, I always tend to find something that doesn’t make it a 5-star read for me. In this one, firstly it was the repetitive story line with no ups & downs. It was supposed to be a psychological drama, so you naturally expect some twists & turns along the story, including some shocking factors. Yes, this book did shock me twice, when it came to those 2 child deaths. But, everything in between is just more of the same. Secondly, the story was predictable. All through the novel, we see Violet & her unpredictable actions which eventually makes it a predictable end to the novel. It was obvious from the beginning, so there wasn’t any surprise in that context.

~~CHARACTERS~~

All the characters in The Push are very well thought out & written. In one parallel, the content is written in the form of a letter written by Blythe to her husband Fox. Because it is in letter format, it is RAW with all emotions filled with depth, meaning & honesty. Because of this narrative, I simply couldn’t stop reading. We see Blythe as a child & we also see how she grew up to be a wonderful mother despite her mother leaving her at a young age. In the other parallel we see two other women doing their best at motherhood, but completely failing. After all, it is not for everyone & it was definitely not for Etta or Cecelia. Because of all of this collective background, we get to know Blythe REALLY WELL & you cannot help but LOVE her & feel nothing but EMPATHY for her.

As for her daughter Violet, well, I will just say that I have never experience such level of loathing for any other child or adult character. It was just unbelievable all the things which she did. I have heard of a lot of mental illnesses, but what I read in Violet was at another level. How can a 1-day year old child have ADHD? I was speechless with Violet’s character & I think I will leave it at that.

I did say earlier that all the characters are perfectly written, but there is an exception in Fox’s character. The cheating husband leaving his wife to start a life with his mistress who he got pregnant is a plot I have read & watched enough times & I am sick of it. I hated Fox for it, but I also hated him before this. His diminishing love for my dear Blythe. His loss of trust in the mother of his child. His whole cliché of a personality was an unimaginative waste of space in this otherwise masterful story.

~~MOTHERHOOD~~

The most impacting element in this story is motherhood. No one can ever predict what it will bring. Being a mother is different for different people. For some it comes naturally, while others struggle with it. It comes with so many ups & downs, twists & turns & it is like being on a rollercoaster all the time. In The Push, we are shown the dark side which comes with being a mother. The loss, the shame, the thoughts which come to mind which are not supposed to & just everything at a much more intense & complicated level. I applaud my own mother & mothers everywhere. It may be the most rewarding job, but it is also the toughest.

~~MEANINGFUL TITLE~~

I never usually think about the book title before I decide to read it. But, when I start a book, I always try to find out why a book is named the way it is. In some books, it is quite clear. In others, there might not be any direct connection, but are related in a metaphorical sense. In The Push, there are two meanings in the title. The first one is quite meaningful & also one you can guess before reading. It emphasises when a woman pushes to give birth to her baby. It is apt in this novel because this book talks about motherhood more so than anything else. But, the second meaning is what we discover at the end of the book. It is when Violet pushes two innocent boys to their death. I liked the ingenuity behind it, even though it is cruel, it captures the essence of the book perfectly.

Because this is a debut novel, I have rated it at 4/5 stars. Otherwise, it would have been 3 or 3.5 stars. The gravity this book has over the reader is incredible. Not only do you read a mother’s journey, but you also read about the complexities that surround every single decision a mother makes. This was an excellent read & I will recommend that you all read it.

Until next time,